Chapter 46
“Kyaaa!”
It was a display of affection that left no room for doubt. The kind that came from the heart.
The young ladies watching—self-proclaimed fans of the Duke of Ascher—stomped their feet with flushed faces.
“Ahem!”
At the very center of the grand ballroom, the Duke and Duchess’s kiss had passed the one-minute mark.
“……”
Michalis said nothing, but his actions shouted one thing loud and clear to everyone present:
“Look. This woman is my wife.”
This was the method he had chosen—the one that would ensure Eliana never left.
[Method 2: Leave no room for doubt.]
The so-called “pest control” was now taking place in the center of the Imperial Grand Ballroom.
After a solid three minutes, Michalis finally drew back with a faint smile on his lips.
“My lady, allow me to escort you to the lounge for a short rest.”
“Yes.”
As soon as she answered, the Duke of Ascher scooped her up into his arms. His white cloak fluttered behind him as he ascended the stairs with powerful strides.
“Kyaaa!”
Swept up in the romantic air, the ladies squealed, their cheeks bright red. In that instant, the Duke’s infamous image as a “violent madman” was wholly replaced by that of a hopeless romantic.
“Hahaha, youth is truly wonderful,” the Emperor laughed heartily, downing the rest of his champagne in one gulp.
“……”
My fairy…
Shainels, who had just returned to the Empress’s side after two dances, stared blankly after the trailing white cloak.
She looks happy.
The thin thread of hope he had clung to—that perhaps someday, the two might divorce—was now severed completely.
“Haa…”
A deep sigh escaped his lips. There was no space for him to wedge himself between those two. None at all.
I hope… they stay happy for a long, long time.
With that, the fever of first love—of unrequited love—finally left the Crown Prince.
They said she tried to take her life to escape marriage…
The rumors Freya had so carefully built collapsed in an instant.
Ah… how enviable.
If I’d known this would happen, I would’ve begged Father to send a proposal to the Ascher family…
Will I ever know a love like that?
No matter who looked at her, the Duchess of Ascher was unmistakably a bride deeply loved by her husband.
“I thought you could use a moment to sit,”
Michalis said softly, having carried Eliana all the way to an empty lounge on the third floor. He gently laid her down onto a large, comfortable couch.
“Are your feet all right?”
Her delicate heels were prone to blistering and bleeding from just a short walk. He had watched her standing the entire evening without rest and was concerned.
“They’re… okay for now.”
Though she said she was fine, in truth, Eliana was exhausted. After three hours of wearing a heavy, constricting gown and remaining on her feet, her stamina was nearly depleted.
“You can take these off in here.”
“I’m fine, really—”
Before she could finish, Michalis was already kneeling, removing her shoes.
“This is what you call ‘fine’?”
Examining her feet, Michalis looked up at her with a tightened jaw. Though the open-heeled design had protected her heels from injury, the rest of her feet were red and visibly swollen.
“This kind of thing happens. It’s not a big deal.”
Embarrassed, Eliana tucked her feet beneath her dress. She thought she’d gotten used to the way he showed his tenderness beneath that dangerous, decadent face—but today, her heart refused to settle.
“Liana.”
Still kneeling, Michalis took her hand in both of his and called her name softly.
Thump. Thump. Thump.
Just a name—and yet Eliana couldn’t tear her eyes away from his. The warmth of his hands seeped into her skin, intensifying her heartbeat.
“Yes…”
She answered faintly.
Then, he lowered his head and kissed the back of her hand.
“……”
Something stirred from deep within her. A sudden, overwhelming sense that something irreversible was coming.
“I love you.”
Michalis raised his gaze, locking eyes with her again. His quiet confession resonated clearly in the space between them.
“……”
Eliana felt like she had sunk beneath still water. She couldn’t breathe—couldn’t speak. Everything else disappeared from her senses.
She watched as he reached into the inside pocket of his uniform jacket and pulled something out, the movement slow, almost dreamlike.
A ring with a blue gem slid gently onto her ring finger. It fit perfectly—so well, it would never fall off.
“I love you… deeply.”
Like a sacred rite, Michalis carefully placed the ring on her finger and reaffirmed his feelings with quiet intensity.
“Michal… I… Hrk…”
Tears brimmed in Eliana’s eyes, spilling over as she looked down at the ring. Words failed her—all that remained were tears.
“Hrk, huhh…”
One tear fell, then another, and soon the dam broke. The tears came pouring, unstoppable, as though something precious had finally reached her heart.
“Why… why are you crying?”
Michalis was completely thrown off by Eliana’s sudden outburst of tears. For a moment, he panicked, wondering if he’d somehow made a mistake during the confession.
“Huu… it’s just… sob…”
“Please don’t cry.”
Unsure of what to do, Michalis froze for a second before fumbling through his coat to pull out a handkerchief.
“Hhng!”
Instead of taking the handkerchief, Eliana slid down from the couch and wrapped her arms tightly around his neck, kneeling before him.
“Liana…”
She said nothing—only sobbed into his shoulder.
“Why…?”
He’d made her cry two days in a row now. And the longer her sobs continued, the more uncertain Michalis became—was confessing his love really the right move, or had he just committed a massive mistake?
Pat. Pat.
All he could do was sit before her, helpless, and gently pat her back.
“Huu… sob…”
I’m sorry. I’m so sorry, Michal…
Eliana wept with abandon, apologizing silently in her heart. She had known. Deep down, she’d known all along—but she had chosen to ignore it. To deny it.
You’ve always been so sincere…
Her beginning with him had been impure. Even as she accepted that he was a living, breathing person, part of her had continued to treat him like a fictional character. She had always kept one step back.
And all I thought about was running away…
Even burdened with such karmic weight, she couldn’t stop receiving his immense love. Eliana wept uncontrollably, ashamed and remorseful of her own selfishness.
“Hhng… I… I also…”
After crying for what felt like forever, Eliana finally forced down her sobs and found her voice.
“Liana. You don’t have to speak. Don’t force yourself.”
“I love you, too.”
The hands gently patting her back froze.
“I love you, Michal.”
Her voice still trembled, but her words were steady. It wasn’t just Michalis’s feelings she had tried to push away—she had denied her own heart as well.
I’m sorry, Grandma… I don’t think I’ll be going back to school… or graduating…
How could she possibly win against a man who took two steps forward every time she tried to retreat by one? Before she knew it, she had fallen completely.
I don’t think I can live without him anymore…
There was no denying it now. Even if the option to log out ever returned, she wouldn’t use it. In this world, this man—this Duke—was her only family. She wanted to stay by his side forever.
Forgive your foolish granddaughter, Grandma… Instead, I promise—I’ll be happy with him.
“……”
Even after her tears stopped, Eliana remained clinging to Michalis’s neck. Thump. Thump. Thump. Their hearts beat in sync, resonating between them.
“Liana. May I see your face now?”
Michalis gently held her hands that were wrapped around his neck. Kneeling together on the floor like this was hardly comfortable for either of them.
“No! Not now! My face is a mess…”
Startled by his touch, Eliana tightened her grip.
“……”
Truthfully, there was another reason she hadn’t let go. After crying so hard, her eyeliner had definitely smudged—and she was almost certain she looked like a panda.
Absolutely not! He cannot see me like this!
“Are you planning to stay like this until morning?”
“T-Then… just keep your eyes closed! Promise you won’t look!”
“Understood.”
Only after receiving his solemn vow did Eliana slowly rise. She quickly grabbed the handkerchief still in his hand and rushed to the vanity mirror inside the lounge.
Oh no. My face looks like a watermelon…
It was worse than expected. Her eyeliner had run so badly that the area under her eyes was black and streaked with smudges all down her cheeks.
“Michal, don’t you dare open your eyes yet!”
Just as she shouted, their eyes met in the mirror.
“……”
A long silence fell between them.
I want to die.
She had just given up on logging out—and now, she desperately wanted the feature back.
“You’re beautiful. Truly. The most. More than the Crown Prince. The most beautiful in the world.”
Michalis’s reflection in the mirror revealed a faint smile tugging at the corners of his lips.
“……”
Oh God. He memorized all of that?! I want out!
If she couldn’t log out, she at least wanted to crawl into a hole and hide.
“I meant every word.”
Michalis approached, stepping behind her, and wrapped his arms gently around her waist.
“Liana, you are the most beautiful person in this world. Yes… even more than the Crown Prince.”
“Ah! Please stop saying that. I get it—I was wrong, okay? Just… stop!”
“As you wish.”
His reflection in the mirror curved into a gentle grin.
The expression didn’t sit perfectly right with her… but still, Eliana stayed tucked into his embrace, soaking the handkerchief in some facial toner and beginning to wipe her face clean.
“Why are you smiling so much?”
Their eyes kept meeting in the mirror. Every time they did, Michalis was grinning like a fool.
He was never this prone to smiling. At this point, it felt like he was definitely mocking her panda face.
“Because I’m happy.”
That was all he said—plain and sincere.
Liana said she loves me.
Even he had to admit—he probably looked insane. No matter how much he tried to control it, the corners of Michalis’s lips kept lifting. Over and over again.
